Anonym - LAMENT OF DYING MAN

A.	Oh, my sadness, my sorrow! How can I find out Where to spend the first night, When my soul departs the body?
B.	In youth I lived in pleasure; I did not prepare my soul; Now I moan, it is time to die, The soul knows not where to go.
C.	What possessions I had in the house, What I had in the chest, in the chamber, Now I have to abandon all, I will return never more.
D.	Children and mother lament, My brothers pretend to mourn for me; They reach for my possessions, They care nothing for my soul.
E.	Come on, my soul, Wake up, you slept too long; Nobody is more faithful than I, Do good things for yourself!
F.	The false world told me That I would live a long time, But yesterday it did not tell me That I would live a long time.
G.	Where is my strength, my labor? I worked foolishly all these years: Eight lengths of linen, seven feet in the grave, That is all I gained for myself.
I.	I greedily gathered money, I lived my life in wantonness: Because of those two accursed gods I did not keep any holy days.
J.	I gave no alms to the paupers, No offerings to the church and clergy, Neither from first harvest, nor first tilled soil Did I give any donation to God.
K.	How ignorant was my judgment, I was generous with myself, stingy with God: Whatever I promised to God, I never carried out.
L.	The body lies stretched out and groans, The soul is greatly afraid; God demands I make a reckoning; The devil recalls my sins.
M.	My heart pounds like a hammer, The soul dares not come out through the neck; It sees that Heaven is closed, It sees that Hell is open.
N.	Nowhere to hide from God, The soul dares not go to its judgment; It sees that Heaven is closed, It sees that Hell is open.
O.	Oh, my soul, dear flower, Nothing dearer in this world, You sold yourself cheaply to the devil, Because you were in love with sin.
P.	Remember what you pledged at baptism, When you renounced the devil, His pride and his deeds-- You transgressed all of these.
Q.	Run quickly to confession, Bring priests into your house, Cry for your sins, receive the sacrament, The body of Christ, consecrated oil!
R.	Give to the children your land and house; For the soul, give what you gained; Win friends with your possessions; They will put your soul in Heaven.
S.	Gather the angry and the creditors, Win them by pleas, pay the whole debt: To be in Hell because of money-- Never to come out of there.
T.	My eyes look here and there; Lo and behold, three evil spirits! They show my sins to me, Set the snare for my soul.
V.	I fidget, call for help, Nobody wants to die in my place; There are no friends in this world; We have hope only in God.
X.	Christ, through your suffering, Disperse the devil's siege, Give benediction to my soul, Give a good death to my body!
Y.	I am your little prodigal son, You are my merciful Father, I feel sorrow that I angered you, But I did not renounce you.
Z.	At least light me a candle, My beloved friends; The soul leaves in a bloody sweat; What's today for me will come to you later. Amen.
	Translated by Michael J. Mikoś